Method of handling glass.



H. L. DIxoN. METHOD 0F HANDLING GLASS APPL IUTION FILED H 1,002,234., n l ma 'Patented Sept. 5,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES INVENTOR H. L. DIXON. METHOD 0F HANDLING GLASS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. l, 1910. l 1,002,234.. Patented Sept.5,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES 4INVENTOR Ma... ,g,... .fm

H. L. DIXON. METHOD 0F HANDLING GLASS.

` APPLICATION FILED MAB..1, 1910. 1y00223-40 l SBHEETSSHEBT 3.

Il l J2 WITNESSS INVENTOH .z M y v li/Milan /'w m Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

UNrrE HENRY L. DIXON, 0F KNOXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 1, 1910.

METHOD 0F HANDLING GLASS.

Patented Sept. 5, 1911.

Serial No. 546,586.

To all whom ii may coment:

Be it known that I, HENRY L. DIXON, of Knoxville, Tioga county, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Handling Glass, of which the`following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is a partial longitudinal vertical section showing one form of my improved furnace; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on lthe line II-II of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section on the line III-III of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a cross section of the discharge end of the tank furnace on the line IV-IV of Fig. l.

My invention is designed to provide'an improved method of handling glass, by which glass may be fed out of a tank or source of supply to a supplemental tank or reservoir in which the glass is put in circulation, without any rotation of .this reservoir or movable tank. It is also designed to provide an improved method of and means for bringing fresh gathering surfaces into position by circulating a body of glass within a receptacle or hearth. The invention is also designed to provide an improved method for feeding, controlling and stopping t-he flow of lglass from the tank furnace.

In the drawings, in which I show one form of ap aratus for carrying out my improved met od 2 represents a tank furnace, which may be of any desirable type, and at one end of which is a forehearth extension 3, the bottom 4 of which is considerably above Ithe level of the tank bottom. The bottomof this forehearth extension is provided with a longitudinal channel 5,through which. the flow of the glass is controlled by a stopper or dam 6, ofl refractory material, which fits neatly in the channel. This stopper or valve is preferably formed integral with a sleeve 7 of refractory material, which is above the level of the glass in the tank andv channel, and extends through holes in the refractory side walls of the forehearth. This refractory sleeve is fastened to short shafts or trunnions 8, 8, which are rotatablyv mounted in bearings 9, outside t-he .extension, and on the outer portion of one trunnion 1s secured a pinion 10, intermeshing with a toothed wheel 11, carried in a depending bearing .12, and actuated by handle 13. Through the center of the refractory sleeve and the bearings extends a stationary water pipe 14. IVater is circulated through this pipe to cool the refractory sleeve. vThe water pipe is preferably a neat fit within the sleeve, so that the sleeve may rotate around it; though the pipe may be secured to the sleeve, in which case it should connect with stationary pipes by stuffing boxes.

In order to provide for removal of the shaft through the side wall, I preferably build one side wall with an opening 15, shown in Figs. 1 and 4, which is closed by filling in with removable brick work or blocks 16, as shown in Fig. 4. If the valve or dam portion is turned into an upwardly projecting position, and the trunnion portions detached, the sleeve may be drawn out through this opening.

From the end of the channel 5, a refractory spout 17 extends into a small supplemental furnace 18, which may be of any desirable form, and which covers the major portion of the gathering tank 19. The furnace may be heated by burners 20, projecting into one side thereof and discharging from flue 21, into stack 22, or in any other desirable way. The tank'19 is mounted on a framed platform or skeleton 23, which is carried upon a gyratory shaft 24, having step bearing upon a ball 25. To the outer portion of the skeleton or` platform 23 is secured a downwardly projecting annular rail 26, which contacts with a series of rollers 27, mounted onv adjustable arms 28, projecting upwardly from a rotary frame or disk 29. The rotary frame 29 has a central hollow sleeve 30, resting upon ball bearings 31, around the oscillatory shaft 24, and to the hollow shaft 30 is secured a worm wheel 32, which preferably rests on ball bearings 33. This worm wheel engagesa worm 34, on shafts 35, which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by a silent chain drive 36'.

This drive may connect with electric motor.

37, fromA which the motion is geared down to give the proper speed of rot-ation to the spider or frame 29, carrying the roller supports. I preferably inclose the driving gearing within a receptacle 38, which may con-- tain oil so that the working parts may rotate in an oil bath. I have shown this receptacle as adjustable by means of set screws 39.

The rollers 27 are adjusted to different levels, so that the gathering tank will be tipped into an angular position. As the spider 29 is rotated, the rollers travel around on the projecting rail of the tank, and will tip it successively in different directions, they 'highest side following around to different points of -the circumference. This is of great advantage, in that it sets up a circulation in the glass contained in the tank, wit-hout actual rotary movement of the tank itself. Fresh portions of glass are thus carried to the outer portion of the tank, which projects beyond the endl wall of the supplemental furnace, and from which portion the glass is gathered and taken to the glassforming machine.

In carrying out my process, the refractory valve or stopper is turned to allow a flow of glass through the channel and' the spout into the gathering tank. After the tank has received the proper amouht, the valve may be set to allow a slow flow thereinto, or may be turned to shut off the glass at intervals, thel flow being thus under complete control. The glass back of the gate or stopper will be kept hot by the heat from the tank, and the refractory material of the gatey will'be heated by the glass itself. As the refractory sleeve is above the glass level, the glass will not How sidewise into the holes through which it projects.

As rotation is imparted preferably continuously to the roller supports beneath the gathering tank, this tank is gradually tipped in different directions, the high portion following around the circumference. One of the important advantages result-ing from my invention is that Iit prevents the action which is set up in rotating glass carriers and which tends to carry the glass to the outside of the receptacle and over its edge. By the use of my invention no centrifugal force is set up and there is no tendency of the glass to creep up to and over the outer edge of the receptacle. As this successive tipping action takes place, the glass will flow to the depressed part of the hearth or receptacle, and thus a circular iow of the glass will be set up within the hearth, carry ing fresh portions of the glass to that portionv of the hearth projecting beyond the wall of the furnace.

It isI to be understood that the term flows is intended to define the-progressive movement of the molten glass in and with respect to the gathering hearth or receptacle, as distinguished from the mere rotary movement of 4the receptacle and glass together, whereby a cycle of movement is se cured, the glass lowingfr'om the point of deposit to the gathering point where a portion is removed, while the remainder flows.

back to the point vof deposit.

Any desirable type of gathering machine may be employed to gather successive portions of glass from this part of the hearth.v

away, as shown at 42, to permit t-he rotary movement of the gathering apparat-us. Any desirable type ofgathering apparatus may be employed.

The advantages of my invention result from the peculiar movement of thegathering hearth, which avoids any rotary movement thereof, but imparts a circulation to the glass of the contained bath.; also from the improved type cf control gate or valve, by Which the flow of glass to the gathering hearth is regulated.

The most important feature of my invention is the circulating of the glass within a receptacle, without need of rotating the receptacle, in order to bring' fresh gathering surfaces to the desired point or points for gathering. The circulation of the glass may be obtained in any desirable manner within the broad scope of my invention. Instead of moving the hearth or receptacle. a mechanically actuated device may be inserted in the glass bath, which will set up a circulation therein. The receptacle may also be of any desirable shape, since I consider myself the first to circulate glass Within a receptacle, as distinguished from rotating or moving the receptacle itself, in order to bring fresh surfaces into position for gathering.

Many variations may be made in the form and arrangement of the tank, the connecting channel, the gathering hearth and furnace, and the means for tipping the hearth, without departing from my invention.

I claim:

1. The method of handling glass, which consists in causing a mass of molten glass to flow in a general horizontal direction past a predetermined gathering point, and gatheringa portion of such mass at said poi-nt.

2. The method of handling glass, which consists in forming a mass of molten glass at one point, causingsaid mass to flow in a generally horizontal cycle past a second point and gathering the glass from the mass at said latter point. 3. The method of handling glass, which consists in forming a mass of molten glass at one point, causing said mass to flow in a generally horizontal direction past a second point, gathering the glass from the mass at said latter point, and causing the remainder of the mass to flow back to the point of formation.

Jr.. The method of handling glass, which consists in depositing in a receptacle, a mass of molten glass, causing said glass to flow with relation to the receptacle in a generally horizontal directionpast a predetermined point, and gathering a portion Jfrom the mass of said point.

The method of handling glass, which consists in depositing in a receptacle a mass of molten glass, causing said glass to 'flow with relation to the receptacle in a generally horizontal cyclepast a predetermined point,v gathering a portion from the mass at said point, and causing the mass t-o i'low back to the point of deposit.

6. The method of handling glass, which consists in causing a mass of molten glass to iow in a generally horizontalr cycle between two point-s and gathering portions of such mass at one of said points.

7'. The method of handling glass, which consists in causing a mass of molten glass to flow in a generally. horizontal cycle between two points, gathering portions of such mass at one of said points, and depositing additional portions at the other point.

8. The method of handling glass, which consist-s in causing a mass of molten glass to flow in a generally horizontal cycle from one point to another in one path of movement, gathering a portion of the mass at the latter point and causing the remainder to iow back to the first mentioned point in another path of movement. v

9. The method of gathering glass, consisting in setting up a general circulatory flow of glass in a horizontal direction by gravity and gathering theglass at a predetermined point.

10. The method of gathering glass7 which consists in forming from a predetermined source, a mass of molten glass, causing said mass to iow by gravity to a point removed from said source, gathering a portion of said glass from the mass at said point, and vcauslng the remainder of said mass to flow by gravity back past said source.

11. The method of Gathering glass, which consists in forming'iiom a predetermined source a mass of molten glass7 continuously changing the center of gravity of said mass in a manner to cause the mass to flow to a point removed from the said source and thence back to "the same, and gathering a portion of the mass at said removed point.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

I-I. L. DIXON.

Witnesses:

GEO. B. BLEMING, H. M. CoRwrN'. 

